AT&T, Comcast Offer Choice to Broadband Users

To encourage federal regulators to approve Comcast's merger with AT&T Broadband, the two companies announced late last week that they will open up the service to third-party ISPs, giving consumers choices and, possibly, lower prices. (The AT&T Broadband/Comcast merger recently entered its public-comment period, during which federal regulators review feedback about the deal to determine whether it's in the public interest.)

"AT&T Comcast is fully committed to negotiating mutually beneficial service agreements with Internet service providers so that its cable customers will have a choice of ISPs," the companies said in a joint statement. "Each applicant is actively (and independently) negotiating to reach commercial agreements with unaffiliated ISPs." The companies touted a recent deal with Earthlink as an example of this practice.

The announcement eliminates a major concern about the merger, which would create one of the largest broadband powerhouses in the industry. Regulators pushed through a similar merger between AOL and Time Warner when those companies offered a similar concession regarding third-party ISPs.

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brian (not verified)

on Apr 1, 2002

We have AT&T Comast/Broadband, and one things for sure... They have made promises to us over and over that have not been fufiled. That promise is that we will have broadband. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. They keep promising and merging, but the only thing we see are HIGER rates every January. In fact our entire county and mayors are thinking about DROPING AT&T and getting Adelphia or Cablevision to do the job, since they have an outstanding record in the next county.